Steps to Preserve Borobudur

Welcome to Chandi Borobudur, one of the sacred buildings of Buddhism as a World Cultural Heritage site. The splendor and beauty of Borobudur has its own historical value for Indonesian people. The government has designated Borobudur as a major tourist attraction, a priority tourist destination for local and foreign visitors.

Traveling and visiting Borobudur have enthusiasm aims to know its monument more closely, learn about its history and admire the splendor and beauty of architectural art, as an appreciation and participation in maintaining and protecting the world cultural heritage site of Borobudur.

Your journey to Borobudur will send to an excellent trip with the hospitality of Pamong Carita who will guide you on a special tour to visit and explore history, admiring the beauty of the arts and architecture of Chandi Borobudur more closely.

Step into Borobudur

Borobudur is a world cultural heritage site, the Mahayana Buddhist temple is located in Borobudur, Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. The location of the temple is approximately 99 kilometers southwest of Semarang, 86 kilometers west of Surakarta, and 40 kilometers northwest of Yogyakarta City.

Borobudur attracted attention again in 1885, when Yzerman, Chairman of the Archaeological Society in Yogyakarta, discovered a hidden foot. Photographs showing the reliefs on the hidden legs were made in the period 1890–1891. This discovery encouraged the Dutch East Indies government to take steps to preserve this monument.

Reconstructed the chattra of Borobudur

Source: Guiding technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto screenshot arisguide.

Restoration of Borobudur

Chandi Borobudur began to receive attention again in 1885, when Yzerman, Chairman of the Archaeological Society in Yogyakarta, discovered a hidden foot. Photographs showing the reliefs on the hidden legs were made between 1890-1891. This discovery prompted the Dutch East Indies government to take steps to preserve this monument.

In 1900, the government formed a commission consisting of three officials to research this monument: Brandes, an art historian, Theodoor van Erp, an engineer who was also a member of the Dutch army, and Van de Kamer, a building construction engineer from the Netherlands, Department of Public Works.

In 1902, this commission submitted a three-step proposal for a Borobudur preservation plan to the government. First, the immediate danger must be addressed immediately by rearranging the corners of the building, removing stones that endanger other stones next to them, strengthening the first balustrade, and restoring several niches, gates, stupas and the main stupa.

Second, fence the temple yard, maintain and improve the drainage system by repairing the floor and shower. Third, all loose and loose rocks had to be removed, the monument cleaned down to the first balustrade, damaged stones removed and the main stupa restored. The total costs required at that time were estimated at around 48,800 Guilders.

The restoration was carried out between 1907 and 1911, using the principle of anastylosis and led by Theodor van Erp. The first seven months were spent excavating the ground around the monument to find the missing Buddha head and stone panels. Van Erp dismantled and rebuilt the three circular terraces and stupa on the top.

In the process Van Erp discovered many things that could be improved; he submitted another proposal which was approved with an additional budget of 34,600 guilders. Van Erp carried out further reconstruction, he even carefully reconstructed the chattra (three-tiered stone umbrella) that crowns the peak of Borobudur.

At first glance, Borobudur has recovered to its former glory. However, the authenticity of the reconstruction of the chattra was deemed to be unreliable, so Van Erp dismantled parts of the chattra himself. Now the mastaka or peak of the three-tiered Borobudur chattra is stored in the Borobudur Conservation Center.

Restoration of Borobudur in 1907

Source: Guiding technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto screenshot arisguide.

Due to a limited budget, this restoration only focused on cleaning statues and stones, Van Erp did not solve drainage and water management problems. Within 15 years, the gallery walls were slanting and the reliefs showed cracks and damage. Van Erp used concrete which caused the formation of alkali salt and calcium hydroxide crystals which spread throughout the building and damaged the temple stone. This caused problems so further renovations were required.

Small restorations have been carried out since then, but not enough to provide complete protection. In the late 1960s, the Indonesian government submitted a request to the international community for major restorations to protect this monument.

Restoration Project

In 1973, a master plan to restore Borobudur was created. The Indonesian government and UNESCO took steps to completely repair the monument in a major project between 1975 and 1982.

The foundation was strengthened and all 1,460 relief panels were cleaned. This restoration was carried out by dismantling all five square terraces and improving the drainage system by embedding water channels into the monument. Filter and waterproof layers are added.

Concrete planting and PVC pipes, drainage system during restoration in 1973.

This colossal project involved 600 people to restore the monument and cost a total of 6,901,243 US dollars. After renovations, UNESCO added Borobudur to the list of World Heritage Sites in 1991.

Source: Guide Book arisguide. Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide.

Spend your spare time;

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Borobudur - insight into a meditation.

Get more narration and materials about Chandi Borobudur in Barabudur atau Borobudur, Candi Buddha Pusaka Budaya Indonesia.

Reading is more fun exploring the thematic narratives in more detail in KEBUDAYAAN BOROBUDUR - BELAJAR DENGAN PAMONG CARITA.

Visiting and traveling becomes even more fun, explore the thematic narrative in more detail in:

Travel guide to Borobudur with Pamong Carita.

Reading in English is fun and also seems so interesting to translate into language that is easy and flexible, get readings in detail in Welcome to Borobudur Temple, the fabric of life in the Buddhist culture.

Welcome to Borobudur.

Source: Guiding technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto screenshot arisguide.

Borobudur Temple is a Mahayana Buddhist temple, built in the 9th century during the reign of the Sailendra dynasty, designed in the form of Javanese Buddhist architecture, which combines the original Indonesian culture of ancestor worship and the Buddhist concept of achieving Nirvana.

Explore, admire the beauty of art in pictures and photos by typing the detailed link in PHOTO IMAGE BOROBUDUR.

Welcome to more narrative about Chandi Borobudur in Selamat Datang di Kebudayaan Borobudur - wisata dengan Pamong Carita.

Borobudur

Source: Guiding Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide, Guiding Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide.

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